ASN’s Brian Sciaretta spoke with American goalkeeper Diego Kochen about rising up in Florida, taking part in for Barcelona, and waiting for the Olympics.
BY
Brian Sciaretta
Posted
January 09, 2026
7:00 AM
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DURING THE NOVEMBER WINDOW, U.S. SOCCER took the primary steps in its preparation for the 2028 Olympics with the beginning of a U-21 nationwide group, which can regularly develop into the U-23 Olympic group. For a lot of of those gamers, the approaching years of getting ready for the Los Angeles Video games will likely be an necessary a part of their transition from youth soccer to the total nationwide group the place they may turn out to be the technology that follows the well-known present group which incorporates Christian Pulisic, Tyler Adams, Sergino Dest, and Weston McKennie.
Diego Kochen, 19, participated in that camp and the Barcelona goalkeeper is likely one of the prime younger American prospects in his place and the hope is that he’s entrance and middle in two years when america hosts the Olympics on the 2028 video games in Los Angeles.
“It was a surprise actually,” Kochen advised American Soccer Now. “I found out a week before the actual camp and After the U-20 cycle, I thought that there wasn’t anything between since the Olympics are in 2028, but I saw I got the request from US soccer to go to U-21s and I was happily surprised it was and it was an honor.”
“It’s true that I knew half the players already and all the staff was there with us during the U-20 World Cup,” he added. “But the rest of the team has been really welcoming and they’ve super cool with us. The coaching staff changed because Marco got the job at New England. Something that still hasn’t change is the intensity and the work ethic. It’s a great group of guys. And I think it’s going to be very interesting to see how we evolve and how we start working together throughout these camps to prepare for the Olympics, because we all come from different backgrounds and different clubs with different ideas.”
Over the previous 4 years, Kochen has been a daily with U.S. youth nationwide groups. His first call-up got here to the U-16 group 4 years in the past this month in January 2022. Two months later, he was already on the U.S. U-17 group and was nominated for the federations Younger Participant of the Yr in 2022.
Within the fall, he was anticipated to take an enormous step ahead with the nationwide group when he was named to the 2025 U-20 World Cup group the place he was the presumed starter. However simply two days earlier than the opening sport, he was recalled by Barcelona on account of a brand new damage to Joan Garcia. On the time, Marc Andre ter Stegen was additionally injured. This compelled Wojciech Szcz?sny into the beginning job with Kochen because the backup.
It was a time of blended feelings for Kochen who was each unhappy to depart his nationwide group however was excited to assist present his membership group with wanted stability in LaLiga and the Champions League.
“That U-20 cycle was very unique and I think an incredible group of guys got really close together because we were working towards that tournament for a very, very long time,” Kochen stated. “Obviously it was a really big bummer to leave. At the same time it wasn’t because I was getting another opportunity back at the club. But I was a little bit sad to leave but I had no doubt in my mind that they were going to put a performance and accomplish what they’ve accomplished at the World Cup. It didn’t end the way we wanted to, but I’m still super proud of everybody. And I watched every game and supported the back home.”
For Kochen, the Olympics now tackle an added precedence after having missed out on the U-20 World Cup. Given the keenness among the many American public for the Olympics, the very fact the nation will likely be internet hosting it, and that the U.S. group could possibly be aggressive on the event, Kochen is optimistic.
Additionally, the Olympic event traditionally serves as a springboard for gamers to bridge the hole between youth soccer and the total nationwide group. Kochen has already been known as up by the total nationwide group in September 2024 below an interim teaching employees after which later once more in November 2024 below Mauricio Pochettino.
These expertise allowed him to coach with the nation’s prime gamers and work with Pochettino’s long-time goalkeeping coach Antonio Jiminez.
“It was an honor to receive the call to go with the senior team and I have to say the whole staff was very welcoming,” Kochen recalled of being known as up by Pochettino. “I was integrated very quickly. As soon as I landed, I went straight to the team dinner, and everyone presented themselves and were super nice to me. You could tell that the coaching staff is very experienced, and they know what they’re doing. They have an idea, and everybody has a goal – which is to compete and make a strong statement in the World Cup at home. They’re all one unit. They know their coach, they know what they’re representing. It’s really interesting to see how Poch came from a club team to a national team. What he’s doing with the team is incredible.”
Kochen’s background and his historical past with the game is uncommon. He was born within the Miami space in a multinational family. His mom is from Peru and his father is from Venezuela. Regardless of his success in soccer as a young person, for many of his childhood his prime sport was browsing, which was his precedence till across the age of 10.
“I don’t come from a family that is big on soccer,” Kochen defined. “My first sport was actually surfing. I grew up with a family who surfed. And I did that for a while, especially growing up in South Florida. It’s very popular down there. And a bunch of my friends transitioned from surfing all that to playing soccer – around 10 years old. I started pretty late and my earliest memory of falling in love with the sport was the 2014 World Cup and watching USA play. My biggest idol was Tim Howard. That tournament is what really made me want to stick to the sport and take it seriously.”
As soon as Kochen started to deal with soccer, issues took off rapidly for him. In Florida, he performed for prime native golf equipment Weston FC and West Pines United earlier than his household moved to Spain and he started taking part in for Marcet Soccer College. From there he was scouted by Barcelona the place he joined the La Masia academy and earned an expert contract. On his 18th birthday in 2024, he signed a brand new first group deal that noticed him promoted to the second group Barça Atlètic. Throughout that point he has been regularly on the bench for the membership’s first group as a second backup.
“It’s the biggest honor I have and I’m super grateful for the chance to represent a club like that,” Kochen stated of taking part in for Barcelona. “But at the same time, you can’t let your guard down. You’ve always got to be at top shape. You’ve got to take care of yourself non-stop because you always got someone above you and someone under you. It’s a very competitive club, one of the most prestigious in the world. So you’ve always got to be in your top shape, giving your best.”
After all, Barcelona’s footprint has expanded again in his hometown of Miami. Inter Miami is successful MLS Cup in December with Barcelona legends Lionel Messi, Jordi Alba, Luis Suarez, and Sergino Busquets main the way in which. Inter Miami has been within the world highlight since buying the quartet and, for Kochen, it has been an thrilling growth.
“I try to go as much as possible because you have everybody there now – Messi, Busquets, Alba – all the people I grew up watching and the big guys who are at the club I am at now,” Kochen stated. “When Messi came, I remember all my friends back home, everybody was freaking out. They couldn’t believe it. You can definitely tell the difference. It brought so much attention down to soccer in Miami and soccer in America.”
As for what comes subsequent for Kochen, he continues to play for Barca Atletic and even saved a penalty this previous week in a 4-0 clear sheet win over CD Ibiza-Pitiusas. In the meantime the media continues to take a position a couple of potential mortgage.
DIEGO KOCHEN SAVES A PENALTY pic.twitter.com/UvtsHd4fi6
— ArsenKveFCB (@ArsenKveFCB) January 4, 2026
For the nationwide group, the goalkeeping place is likely one of the group’s issues as Matt Freese has began a lot of the video games in 2025 with Matt Turner additionally within the combine. After the World Cup, it stays to be seen as a brand new supervisor will doubtless have a distinct perspective.
However in the intervening time, Kochen will virtually definitely proceed to be a part of the U.S. U-21 group that can transition to the U-23 Olympic group within the fall. Like most People, Kochen grew up watching that event and being a part of it on house soil could be a particular second. For now, it stays a prime precedence for him.
“I’m not going to lie, it’s one of the tournaments I most look forward to playing because it’s something I’ve been watching ever since I was a little kid,” Kochen stated of the Olympics. “I think the most prestigious tournament in all sports and it would be an honor to represent my country – especially in 2028 when it’s on home soil. It’d be a wonderful experience.”
